Chapter Ten #2
I expect him to at least smile, but he only scowls, and then it’s awkward so I duck into the room and pull the door closed, my belly fluttering and my core aching with need.
I actually pluck up my courage to return to class on Monday, only to be greeted with the leggy brunette in her forties who is all too familiar.
I know who she is before she introduces herself as Professor Mitchel.
I don’t think she noticed me while Sinetar was railing her in her office, and if she recognizes me, she shows no sign.
She’s all white teeth and dimples as she tells us, “Professor Sinetar will be about the library if you have any questions, but I’ll be taking over the lecture period. ”
Several students glance my way at this, but I’m so relieved to not have to face Sinetar again, I don’t even care.
The week passes without further incident.
I try to find snatches of time with my roommates, and we settle into a comfortable pattern between classes and homework.
After the snuggle time with Pax, I thought we’d be back to our former relationship or closer than ever, but no such luck.
Something has shifted between us. Pax has some kind of guard up that he never had before.
As the month winds on, decorations for Queen’s Day begin to appear around campus and around town.
Folds of sequins drape around people’s doorways.
Colorful banners hang between buildings.
Black talons, chips of dragon stone, and glass replicas of different colored dragon eyes hang in windows for good luck and fortune.
People wear empty pouches around their necks to show they’ve already paid homage to the Queen in the hopes that she will bless them with abundance, wealth, and fertility in the coming year.
My family was the only one in our village that celebrated the holiday, and that was only because my parents both trained to be Scholars at the dragon court once upon a time, though neither were chosen before they left to make a family.
Here, it’s the festival of the year. Ricoterra, the walled city that includes many supernatural communities, is directly linked to the dragon court by the DLSA.
Our poor village had one well where people gather to pass news.
With the caravans and mail systems, Ricoterra receives news from all over the world, so they’re connected to many traditions that our isolated village ignored.
It’s no surprise the metropolis where we now make our home is notorious for its Queen’s Day parades and parties.
When the day finally arrives, I luxuriate in bed all morning, reveling in the ability to sleep in for once.
Of course school is closed for the festivities.
Finally, the call of nature rouses me, and I stumble to the washroom, then through the living room.
The smell of fresh brewed coffee draws me like a magnet, and I step into the small kitchen to find True standing over a steaming griddle iron.
“Mmmm,” I moan. “Hotcakes.”
“Thought I’d cook,” True says with a glance in my direction.
His strong-and-silent routine doesn’t bother me anymore.
To be honest, ever since the day with Pax where I decided to give up my quest to lose my chastity, True and I have been much more comfortable together.
It makes me think that a lot of the weirdness just stemmed from my raging lady hard-on for him, and now that I’ve given that up as impossible, we can be decent cohabitors.
“Well, thanks,” I say. “Hope it’s okay if I steal some of your coffee.”
“It’s all yours,” he says.
A door opens down the hall, and a second later, Pax steps into the kitchen. He offers me a sleepy smile and says, “Happy Queen’s Day.”
“Happy day off,” I say, helping myself to coffee. “Thank you, Dragon Queen, for being born today.”
“It’s not the queen’s birthday,” True says, his unearthly, pale blue eyes meeting mine with an earnestness I’ve rarely seen in him. Actually I’ve rarely seen any emotion. “It’s the day she became queen—her Coronation Day.”
The way he says it, you’d think she was a goddess, not a dragon. But then, I’ve come to suspect that’s not too unusual at the DLSA, especially for the upper-level students and professors. Maybe I’ll be cuckoo for dragon stuff in a few years too.
“Oh, right,” I say, handing Pax a mug. “My parents were always pretty vague on the details, probably because all the sex stuff associated with—”
“Fertility,” True cuts in with a frown. “It’s not ‘sex stuff.’ The coronation takes place after the queen has proved herself capable of producing an heir. This is done through a sacred fertility rite.”
“A rite we humans celebrate with gang-bangs,” Pax says with a wink, making me laugh-snort into my coffee.
He looks sexier than ever with bedhead and a shadow of stubble on his cheeks.
Not for the first time, I wonder if his pressing his cock against my center caused this new tense feeling between us.
“Yes, well, humans do tend to find the lowest common denominator,” True says stiffly, looking like quite the snob. I wish it made him less attractive, but no, somehow the arrogant tilt to his chin only makes him look regal and aristocratic and totally fuckable.
“What should we do to celebrate the occasion?” Pax asks, slouching against the counter and blowing on his hot coffee.
“Sleep,” I say, stretching hugely. When I return to my usual position, I catch both of them watching me intently. “What?”
Pax opens his mouth, but True cuts in. “Nothing. I think you have the right idea.”
“What’s your beef with Queen’s Day?” Pax asks.
“Nothing,” True says again, a scowl fixed on his face.
“Is someone bitter he didn’t get chosen to be a liaison at the dragon court?” I tease.
“No,” he says, turning his scowl on me before opening the iron. Steam billows from the perfectly formed, chocolate hotcake.
“I think True wants to party with dragons,” I say, shooting Pax a wink. “Lowly humans are so distasteful.” I stick my nose up in an exaggerated gesture and toss my hair back haughtily.
“I never said that,” True snaps.
“I don’t know,” I say with a grin. “You’ve got the hair for a good toss. How’s your flounce?”
He blinks at me. “My what?”
“Your flounce,” I say. “You know, when you toss your hair and flounce out of the room…?”
He shakes his head, looking lost, and sets a plate before me.
“Damn, you’re making me feel bad for teasing you,” I say, my mouth watering.
“The dragon ways are nothing to laugh at,” he says. “The traditions are ancient and noble.”
“Okay, okay,” I say. “I already felt bad. I’ll be serious.”
I put on my best serious face to show him I mean it.
“He’s just mad about the gang-bang comment,” Pax says, lowering his voice conspiratorially.
I snort-laugh again, drowning it with a gulp of coffee, then spluttering at the scalding temperature.
True rushes to my side like I’m choking, then glares at Pax like he’s the one who poured hot coffee down my throat.
Pax just grins wider, his eyes on our roommate. “True here knows I have a whole harem who would be game if I wanted to party tonight, and he couldn’t even find one girl to get his dick wet if he tried. And since we share a room…”
“No orgies,” True grits out, which only makes me laugh harder. This time I shove a bite in my mouth to stifle it.
“Come on, let’s show Vynessa a good time,” Pax says. “No one celebrated back where we were from. This is her chance to see how it’s done here.”